[December Fri 7]
Justice of the Peace Prescott Sawyer
has caused warrants for the arrest of
two notorious keepers of houses of ill
fame, and of the keepers of gambling
houses, to issue and the arrests have
been made. His idea was to fine them
a reasonable amount each quarter in
vindication of the law and as an
aid to the fund to maintain the police
department. Last year they were
arrested by Thomas McMahon, then
the Comr. and J. P. and they engaged lawyer
and owing to the lax conditions procured
the jury to acquit in the face of overwhelm
ing evidence, and this they are now again
to attempt. Sawyer and Marshal Perry
are both troubled about it, but I have
instructed them to enter upon the fight to
win, that they must employ the whole power
of the government to convict since it is a
case of defiance of the courts by the criminal
class. French has just received his
commission as Asst. Pros. Atty, and says he
will aid them earnestly - I hope he will.
The first case is that of a keeper of house
of ill fame and it is set for Monday.